Ding claims historic Shanghai Masters win

Ding Junhui defeated Xiao Guodong 10-6 to claim the Shanghai Masters in the first ranking final to feature two players from China.

Xiao had been making the headlines all week after coming through the qualifiers to reach the final, but the top-ranked player in China Ding got the better of him to claim the seventh ranking title of his career.

Ding opened up a 2-0 lead with a top break of 83, but Xiao was not fazed by the occasion or the opposition and levelled at 2-2 with runs of 62 and 67.

A 66 from Ding saw the two-time UK Champion go 3-2 in front, but from 46 points adrift Xiao once again squared the encounter to take the sixth frame. Knocks of 126 and 58 enabled Ding to go 6-3 up afterwards.

A 78 gave Xiao some hope at 6-4, but Ding put his foot on the gas to go within one of the title as breaks of 58, 78 and 81 saw him pull away from Xiao. The gap was reduced to 9-6, but Ding clinched victory with a 71.

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